The New Mexico State Supreme Court heard oral arguments today over a controversial set of public health and executive orders issued on Sept. 7, 2023, by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Department of Health Secretary Patrick Allen to stem violent crimes committed with firearms.
In the executive order, Ms. Grisham wrote that the ban on public carry of firearms in Bernalillo County and other areas was necessary to protect children. It named gun violence in Albuquerque a public health emergency and banned carrying firearms in public for 30 days, drawing criticism from across the political spectrum.
Law enforcement officials, Second Amendment advocates, and even gun control activists have publicly said the order crossed the line.